Love at 25,000 Feet
by DarkCrystalis
Summary: Kagome, desperately needing to work so she can afford her university tuition in September ends up getting a job as a stewardess on an airplane. This gets her into all kinds of trouble, but mainly her deathly fear of heights and Sesshoumaru Taishou. SK
1. Chapter One

**Love at 25,000 Feet**

**By: DarkCrystalis**

**Edited by: Jon04CTSV**

**Disclaimer:** I don't own any characters in this story, unless they're originals (characters outside of the Inuyasha anime.)

XxXx

**Chapter One**

Sex isn't what it cracks up to be, trust me.

Before you get the wrong idea, I'm not a slut, whore, or a "bad girl." I never even slept with my first boyfriend; I, rather stupidly, waited until the second. Now that I think about it, I should've jumped Kouga while I had the chance; any man would've been better than Naraku.

Let's get back to my issue, though. I know that back in high school, there were all those rumours, like my screwing many members of the football team—and dear god, all of them at once,—but they were all lies. Mean words like that came from my jealous classmates that weren't admired by the popular boys because they were either ugly or ugly and stupid, to boot.

I was really popular back in high school; all the men fawned over me, doing whatever I pleased. For the first two years, though, I didn't take advantage of them. I felt like that was so immoral.

Over time, my mind changed. If they were so willing to help me, it wasn't really taking advantage of them, right? I mean, they practically begged to help me carry my massive yellow backpack. Some even catered to me, asking if I ever wanted anything to eat or drink, and that it'd be on them, meaning it was free!

I met Kouga during the beginning of second semester in grade 12 and hated him right off the bat. Cocky, arrogant, rude to anyone he disliked, and simply… well, I don't know what to call him. I ended up dating him when he fawned over me more than any other guy did, professing his love to me a month later. Besides, he wasn't mean to me, and that's all that mattered at the time. However, when his advances were too strong and my light interest in him completely faded, I dumped him. He was heart broken, but despite the fact he didn't hate me. We were still friends until the end of the year, but strangely enough, he seemed a little possessive of me… maybe that was just my imagination.

The last two years of high school were the best; invitations to all the best parties and overall making friends with the cool crowd made me feel so powerful. That was where I ended up meeting Naraku; at the grade 12 graduation after-party which took place at his house. He was also on the football team, and for once, I allowed myself to hook up with one of its members. He'd actually scared me at first; his piercing eyes and cold demeanor were enough to frighten anyone, but I liked how he didn't try to cater to my every need. It was refreshing, so when he asked me out a short while later, I accepted.

After about five months with him, we _**did it**_, and boy was it ever awful. He was so naïve that he didn't notice my bleeding until after he'd come. I don't think he realized the pain I was in, but I didn't bother to tell him; it's not like he wanted to hurt me. As we saw each other more often, we screwed more, and it was always bad.

I don't know what was worse; the "quickie" or the "long, slow, torturous" sex. I mean, the slow sex was torturous because it always _**hurt**_. He'd stick in his tiny dick, but always somehow managed to put it in such an uncomfortable angle that it was painful. My eyes would glass over with tears from the pain, but when he asked me if I was alright, I told him "This is just so beautiful, I'm so happy!" I couldn't hurt him; he'd never done anything bad to me to deserve that, even though it was the shittiest lie I'd ever told in my life.

The quickies, I think, were the worst. I'd get all riled up, my body unconsciously excited for sex, and then nothing. He'd pump me for two minutes and lose his load, leaving me so sexually frustrated that I'd have to excuse myself to the bathroom to get off after each time. He thought I'd be cleaning up, hah! Just more bullshit… but at least my fingers never let me down!

So, what I'm trying to say is that my view of men is rather skewed, especially after those experiences. Regardless, I'll try not to let that get me down! I know there'll be someone out there some time, even in places where I might least expect him…

Which is how I met… well, _**him**_. There's a _**long**_ story to be told this time.

XxXx

I woke up to the sound of light tapping on my bedroom door.

"Kagome, are you awake yet? I thought you wanted to go job-hunting today; it's after 12 already…" I sighed and answered my mother affirmatively before heading to the small bathroom which, luckily for me, was a part of my room. Once I'd cleaned up in the shower, made up my hair and face before dressing semi-formally in black pants and a blue collared shirt, I headed downstairs to grab a bite to eat.

My mother smiled at me, her light brown eyes sparkling in happiness as I entered the kitchen. "Your father would say he's proud of you if he could see you right now," she almost whispered with a facial expression boarding on wistfulness.

I rolled my eyes, not wanting to think about what he might've said about me. He was away on business in the U.S. and rarely came home due to his job. We only saw him once every few months for a couple days, if we were lucky. It didn't matter though; even when he lived at home permanently, we'd never been close. I was much closer to my younger brother, Souta, who was in middle school. Despite our relatively big age gap, we managed to get along without a lot of fuss.

As I fried an egg and popped two pieces of toast in the toaster, I sighed, finally realizing the pressure that was on me to get a job. If I didn't, I knew that we wouldn't have enough money for university in the fall. So far, I only had about half the required money for a year of courses. My parents weren't rich; my mother and grandfather managed our family's shrine while my dad worked overseas, but we didn't earn a lot of income. My mother was probably worried about how we'd pay for Souta's high school uniforms in September, school trips and other fees that he'd encounter when beginning in a new school, never mind the costs of university. Luckily for me, I wouldn't be living in residence; that'd most definitely surely make us bankrupt.

So, here I was, wondering how I could possibly earn approximately a million yen in only half a year. It wasn't completely impossible, but nevertheless I had high hopes of finding a good paying job. I had hope that I'd come upon some amazing luck, and today, I felt like nothing could bring me down; I was determined.

After devouring my brunch, I set out with my black hand bag, stuffed with resumes, pens, lined paper and other things. I was prepared, eager and enthusiastic; surely there'd be many employers which would want me.

"Good luck, honey!" my mother cheered as I set off down the stone walkway. I smiled and waved in return, feeling better with her encouragement.

After making the rounds at the nearest plazas to my home, my luck didn't seem to be holding up as I'd imagined. The places weren't currently hiring, more experience was required, or the starting pay was too low. I decided not to let this get me down, though; at least most of the employers had accepted my resumes. It was a start.

I took the public bus down to the largest mall which was the shortest trip from the shrine. I wasn't looking forward to traveling long distances, so if it could be avoided, I'd find a way.

I entered the mall and felt the air conditioning cool off my skin; I'd started to sweat while I was outside under the blistering heat of late March. However, after visiting some more retail stores, I met defeat after defeat with more or less the same reasoning as before wash over me. What was **wrong** with these people? Couldn't they see that I was an aspiring young woman, eagerly awaiting a job opening? I wanted a job so badly that I nearly cried after each disappointment.

Sitting down on the nearest unoccupied bench, I furrowed my brows while my head rested in my hands. I had to think of other places which might hire me. I thought for a good ten minutes before I gave up; maybe it'd be easier to think from home, where I could surf the internet some more.

As I got up, my eyes wandered out in front of me, noticing a billboard. There were tons of bright papered postings with agencies that were hiring, along with phone numbers, addresses and people to contact. I scanned the board, but nothing seemed to be of interest, aside from the airport, which was currently looking for stewardesses. I'd always been acrophobic, but with the good salary they were offering, I decided I'd give it a try.

Jotting down the location, phone number and the employer's name, I hopped on yet another bus to take to the airport. This seemed to be the only job which fulfilled all of my requirements; good pay and no previous experience required; training would be provided. Additionally, the hours were surprisingly flexible; I wasn't expected to work every day and never more than five days a week, unless willing. I could handle this!

When I arrived at the airport, there were so many people running around that I was, at first, dazed. I had no idea where to go or how to get there and I felt extremely overwhelmed. People in fancy suits with briefcases surrounded me as they passed through the waves of people, talking on their cell phones in high decibels.

I strained my eyes and, with minimal effort, found the line to purchase tickets. I had to wait a good twenty minutes before I was served, but I didn't mind. Without looking up, a woman frantically typing away on a keyboard asked me how she could be of any help today. Gratefully, I asked her where I could speak with an employer regarding the job opening for the stewardess position. She smiled at me and pointed, trying to speak loudly over the buzzing of sounds throughout the airport. "Go over there and through the doors, make a right, and head down the hall a little. On your left will be the help desk, and the people there will give you more direction, in regards to appointments and such. Good luck!" Quickly dismissing me, she asked the next person in line how she could help them. I sort of felt sorry for her.

Without adieu, I went where I was told and spoke to the kind woman behind the desk, this time not having to wait in line. She made me fill out a form which asked about my previous work experience, personal information and other boring stuff. I attached my resume to it, as asked, and handed the sheets back to her. She told me "If you'd wait a moment, Miss Sango might be able to see you after her meeting is over." She seemed awfully bubbly for someone at work, but I only smiled. Either way, I practically leapt at the chance of being able to see my possible future employer so soon, so I sat and waited…

…And waited.

…And waited some more.

After about forty five minutes, a woman with black hair tied tightly behind her head, clothed in a smart looking long black skirt and white collared shirt left one of the rooms. Her eyes seemed tired and annoyed, but when she spoke to the secretary behind the desk, her voice was semi-sweet. Seconds later her dark eyes scanned over the sheets I'd handed in a while ago before she turned to me.

"You're here about the stewardess position?" She was assertive but not bitchy, and I liked her already.

I nodded meekly, knees feeling shaky as I rose from my seat to offer her my hand and introduce myself.

"I see something in your eyes… you look determined," she told me and I felt so happy, like I'd already gotten the job.

"I am; I really need this job, miss."

"I feel like you'd work hard if you got the job, but first appearances are not always as they seem. I will find out more about you tomorrow during the meeting of prospective employees, yes?"

Once again, I nodded fiercely.

"Very well, then. Meet in the room down the hall," she stopped to point at the room she'd just exited moments ago, "for 9:00A.M sharp."

"It was a pleasure meeting you, miss," I said, desperately meaning the words.

She smiled and quickly corrected, "Miss Sango will do just fine."

XxXx

**Author's Note**

Hello boys and girls!

This is more of a **pilot chapter** to **see who'd be interested in reading this fanfiction** if it were to continue, so **feedback is absolutely necessary! **

**If I don't hear reader's thoughts or ideas, I will not continue.** I'll assume that not enough people are reading it or that people simply don't like it. I won't continue writing a story that no one is (or no one seems to be) interested in.

So, please, **I beg of you to write a review after reading** to tell me what you think**; I'd really, really appreciate it!!!!**

Sincerely,

DarkCrystalis


	2. Chapter Two

**Love at 25,000 Feet  
****By: DarkCrystalis  
****Edited by: Jon04CTSV**

**Disclaimer:** I don't own any characters in this story, unless they're originals (characters outside of the Inuyasha anime.)

XxXx

**Chapter Two**

_Later that day…_

"I'm a bit nervous just throwing her into the group interview session like that," Sango whispered to Rin during their lunch break. "She hasn't been inspected by_** him**_ yet… if he doesn't like her, there's no way she'll get the job."

Rin nodded affirmatively, but knew it was too late to do anything about it. "Just hope that he tolerates her; he doesn't have to be crazy about her or anything. After all, maybe she won't be flying on his flights…"

Sango shook her head in denial. "The last girl quit because she couldn't handle waiting on him like a slave," she said miserably. "The new stewardess will be a… 'replacement,' among other things."

Rin giggled behind her hand, having a tough time imagining Kagome putting up with their demanding customer. "I don't know her very well at all, but there was something in her eyes which doesn't allow me to imagine she'd be a complete push-over."

Sango sighed, mentally thinking the exact same thing.

"Well, all we can do is wait and see."

XxXx

_Later, during the same day…_

I couldn't believe it; they practically wanted to hire me! This was great! Apparently, all I had to do is meet this important customer of theirs, and if he liked me, I'd got the job! It'd be a piece of cake; if I sucked up to him, he'd be sure to absolutely adore me!

I left the interview room and felt more confident than ever, and I knew that I'd get this job. I paused outside the entrance to the airport, quietly observing Sango being approached by a man I didn't recognize. He was tall, slender with silvery-white hair that ran down his back and honey coloured eyes which looked like melted toffee. However, they were currently narrowed to glance at Sango, who was a good foot or so shorter than him.

"Sesshoumaru-sama," Sango greeted formally and paused for a moment before bowing deeply. "Welcome!"

He merely nodded in response, as if he were used to this happening all the time. "There's no need for such formalities here, Miss Makino."

Her hands folded into one another as she turned around, pointing in my direction. "This is the woman we'd like to hire, please come and meet her."

Sango was busy giving me odd stares and signaling for me to be polite and bow. I ignored her.

'Sesshoumaru-sama' strode over to me, assessing every inch of me. I felt extremely uncomfortable, as if I were a piece of meat ready to be bought or ravaged.

"What is your name?" he asked me when I stiffened in response to his stares but remained silent.

"Kagome Higurashi," I responded, not liking how he gave me a cold smile.

He seemed surprised that I didn't give him any special sort of treatment, but why would I? It's not like I knew who he was or anything.

When he continued to stare, I clenched my jaw in an effort to keep quiet. My resolve quickly faded.

"I'd appreciate it if you stopped gaping at me," I told him directly, nearly growling out each word. "Isn't it rude to stare?"

Sango's jaw dropped open, all the while her arms waved frantically at me with an angry look in her eyes as if to say, 'Are you trying to get yourself killed?'

'Sesshoumaru-sama's' eyes lightened in surprise and before I knew it, he'd whipped around to regard Sango.

"Hire her. She interests me."

She nodded without a moment's hesitation and smiled slightly.

I was about to retort a none-too-polite reply, but Sesshoumaru-sama seemed to have other plans.

"How long will it take for you to train her?"

Hesitantly, she responded, "It depends on how quickly she's able to pick up the information, rules and what-not."

A ghost-like grin appeared on his face. "Have her ready within the week. My next flight is next Sunday."

"B-but sir, I mean Sesshoumaru-sama…" Sango's pleas went unheard as he walked away, most likely to his chauffeured limousine to head home for the day.

"What an asshole!" I remarked, glaring at his retreating form.

"Kagome!" Sango growled angrily. "You must be polite and respectful to Sesshoumaru-sama! He is a donator to this airline and spends much of his money flying with us. He is the most valued customer we have! Not to mention he is world famous," she added as an afterthought. "You're lucky that he likes you, although I can't see why with that feisty attitude of yours. Girl, you've got guts."

Her words flew over my head as I went into a daze. I hated this man, but something told me I'd be spending a lot of time with him… whether I wanted to or not.

XxXx

_Sunday, the day of the flight…_

Training was relatively easy, and unfortunately I learned all the basic material before the week was up. "There are many, many more aspects about this job that you'll need to know in the future, but that knowledge comes with experience," Sango told me.

My first flight would be today, as previously 'arranged' with 'Sesshoumaru-sama.' Kikyou, the managing stewardess, would be on the flight with me to help me out. Sango warned me that she was a really tough bitch but that I could probably put her in her place now that I was done training. "Try to play nice, though," Sango had said with a grin on her face. "You two might be able to get along well if you're polite and humble. She'll also be your manager when I'm not around, so you should keep that in mind." That was on Saturday. I wasn't able to meet Kikyou on Saturday when I came in for some clarification in regards to my first flight, but Sango promised I'd get to see her before takeoff today.

I greeted Sango as I walked over to the reception desk. She spoke with someone on the phone and gave me the 'just a minute' hand gesture. Soon, she walked over and smiled. "That was Kikyou; she's coming to meet you."

Unfortunately, this 'Kikyou' was there all too soon, and before I knew it I was meeting her. She had a cold demeanor, more so than "Sesshoumaru-sama," and had a clipped voice; she didn't like to fool around, it seemed. However, I was determined not to get too caught up in first appearances. Maybe she took a while to warm up to people, or simply wasn't very social?

She introduced herself and acted all high-and-mighty, but I supposed she must've earned her place here. I heard she'd worked at this airline for almost ten years now, which meant she was very experienced and good at her job. Or at least, I hoped she was.

My mother was thrilled that I'd gotten a job. She was so happy that she'd cried when I'd told her earlier on this week. "You're really growing up!" she'd exclaimed, as if it'd only just occurred to her now. I rolled my eyes playfully; parents were always so attached to their children and tended not to realize how quickly they grow up.

If I could keep this job and hold it together, going to university would become a reality.

I snapped out of my reverie when Sango introduced her to me. "I'm Kagome Higurashi," I said to her, forcing a small smile. I extended my hand to her, which she completely ignored as her face remained emotionless. Instead, Kikyou quickly said, "I hope you're not another dimwit; I've had enough of those."

As my blood boiled in response, I desperately fought to not smack her in her pretty little face. I heard Sango try to defend me in the best way she could, but there was a limit as to how much she was able to say. "Now now, Kikyou; I know your people-skills aren't the best, but try to be nicer than that to our new employee. She has promise."

After that comment, Kikyou merely sighed and rolled her eyes. "People skills weren't what made me good at my job, Sango; this girl has to know her stuff, otherwise she'll end up like all the other girls I used to work with; jobless and hopeless." Then, she spun on her heel and walked into the staff room.

"She's almost like a mini-Sesshoumaru," I commented, regarding her by her shorter stature. Sango held back a smile and turned toward me. "Remember what I told you," Sango repeated as she glanced at her watch. "I suggest you enjoy the last fifteen minutes of your time before the flight, although eating might not be the best thing if it's your first time on a plane."

It was only at this time that I remembered my fear of heights; I was actually going to be on a plane within twenty minutes, and the overwhelming sickness hit me like a ton of bricks. My legs felt shaky and I was overly nauseous; Sango, being the watchful woman that she was, noticed instantly.

"Don't tell me…" she whispered very delicately, fearing my response.

"Where's the bathroom?" I managed to ask as I ran with my hand over my mouth; I had to find a trashcan or toilet ASAP.

"It's the door on your left," Sango yelled just before I entered. Then, once I was out of sight, she sat down and put her hand over her forehead. _Oh god,_ _Sesshoumaru-sama is not going to like this at all…_

XxXx

Once I was sure my stomach was empty, I left the bathroom, only to be stared down by Sango. I eventually averted my gaze as my cheeks flushed brightly. I felt pretty shitty, but from the looks Sango sent me, I could tell I was in big trouble.

"How exactly did you plan on getting through this with your fear of heights? Did you think you'd just get on the plane and feel normal? I don't know what to do with you now!" Her face was strained rather than angry, but I couldn't help but feel as though I were being scolded by my mother.

"I guess I sort of… forgot," I whispered with my eyes wide, frowning as I spoke. "I'd hoped it'd just be one of those phobias where you're afraid until you actually go and try it; sometimes just the idea of doing something is scary, but actually doing it isn't." I could tell Sango doubted my reasoning, but she seemed at a loss for words.

"I beg of you just one, little thing," Sango said as she clasped her hands together until they were white with worry. "Please don't puke on Sesshoumaru-sama!"

I rolled my eyes and kept quite; surely she thought better of me than that, didn't she? "Obviously I'll try not to puke on anyone," I retorted, turning my head in embarrassment.

"No, not try, simply **don't do it**!" Sango reiterated and I nodded. Then, Kikyou emerged from the staff room and looked at me. She said only one thing, "I hope you're ready."

XxXx

Once I'd gotten on the plane, I realized I couldn't have been any less ready for anything in my entire life.

XxXx

**Author's Note**

Hello boys and girls (once again)!

I figure that the first chapter isn't really enough to ask whether or not people would be interested. Besdies, this chapter has more development and "excitement" in it, so maybe people would be more into this fanfiction once they read this chapter. My rule is you have to give a book/story the first 3 or so chapters before giving up on it or deciding whether you want to continue reading it or not.

This is STILL a **pilot chapter** to see who'd be interested in reading this fanfiction if it were to continue, so **feedback** is still **absolutely necessary!!!!**

So, please tell me what you think**; I'd really, really appreciate it!!!!**

**A huge thank you** to the first 14 reviewers from chapter one--I really wasn't expecting such a huge response! I'm really glad that people are giving this story a shot! I hope to recieve 25 reviews before I'm able to post chapter three... I hope this isn't an unfounded goal.

Until Chapter Three (whenever that is, lol)!

Sincerely,  
DarkCrystalis


	3. Chapter Three

**Love at 25,000 Feet  
****By: DarkCrystalis  
****(Not edited)**

**Disclaimer:** I don't own any characters in this story, unless they're originals (characters outside of the Inuyasha anime.)

XxXx

**Chapter Three**

Kikyou noted my discomfort the second we got on the plane; and this was before it started moving. People were still filing on as the two of us observed the passengers.

"What's wrong?" she asked the question in a sweet voice, but her eyes held malice. "Scared?"

I smiled back just as sweetly, watching the strangers walk in one by one in line. "Nope, just intrigued… it's my first time on a plane." She could tell I was lying the second the words left my mouth, but she couldn't do anything about it.

"Well, I hope you're not afraid of heights or anything… planes go pretty high up."

"Of course not," I retorted, although I was already feeling weary.

"About 25,000 feet or so, you know," she added with another smile. "I love heights… I love being in the cockpit and looking down. Sometimes I wonder what it'd be like if there was an emergency and we had to crash-land… that'd be so exhilarating! The plane would probably nose-dive and we'd all be wondering if we'd live… I bet the scenery would be blurry as we'd drop to the ground."

My stomach felt so queasy at the thought that I was sure I'd puke. I quickly excused myself and ran to their sad excuse of a bathroom. Luckily, there were two bathrooms on this plane—one in the community class and the other in the business class. I ran to the fancier one, having a feeling that it'd be free and relatively clean.

I barely made it to the toilet in time.

Once I was finished, I walked out and saw a familiar face sitting in one of the leather, comfortable looking seats. He didn't seem to notice I was staring at him, which was probably a good thing. While sighing, I turned to leave and go back to the devilish Kikyou, but someone calling me 'girl' stopped my feet from moving further.

I recognized his voice instantly, of course.

"My name is Kagome," I told him clearly, my eyes slightly squinted in annoyance. I've always hated being called 'miss.' Instead, he stared back, leaving me feeling helpless. "Was there something you wanted?" I asked, growing more frustrated at the strained silence. He seemed to notice this, too.

"I'd like a scotch on the rocks and a plate of risotto to start." I looked at him as if he'd grown horns on his head while I crossed my arms over my chest. "Lunch won't be served for another two hours, and risotto isn't on the menu," I stated, gritting my teeth. Just who did he think he was?

"I don't care if it isn't on the menu," Sesshoumaru said simply, quirking an eyebrow, "I want it."

Just then, Kikyou walked over and practically drooled all over him. "Mr. Taisho, what can I do for you today?" she practically flirted with him as she bent down closer to his level. Her long, black hair hung down around her face and below her shoulders, her lips parted as if ready to devour him. Kikyou's cleavage was popping out of her uniform shirt, the buttons barely holding under the weight of her chest._ She's probably got implants or a hell of a lot of padding, _I couldn't help thinking. _She looks like the worst fake Barbie doll I've ever seen._

"Nothing from you," he spat in response, which made her face contort in annoyance slightly, but she somehow managed to keep a forced smile on her face. "Tell your stewardess to do her job and get what I asked."

My jaw dropped open in shock at his rudeness—although I should've expected it,—and I went to protest. Before I could, Kikyou roughly tugged on the arm behind my back and pulled me away.

"What do you think you're doing, girl?" I almost rolled my eyes at her resemblance to Sesshoumaru. "He is a very, very rich and influential man. Do you know that he could easily shut down our airport? He is the Sesshoumaru Taishou, the owner of the Taishou Empire." My eyes widened in realization, remembering where his name came from. They owned all sorts of businesses; they had a clothing brand, music brand and business marketing offices around the world.

Why did it have to be him, of all people? Why did he have to act so damn high-and-mighty?

"So what do you expect us to do, cook him food that isn't on the menu? It isn't like I know how to make it or anything!" I became exasperated, but tried my best to remain calm.

"We have expert chefs on the plane for a reason, girl," Kikyou answered back tightly, making a sour face in my direction. "Ask them to make it specially for him; they know what foods he likes and how he likes them."

I couldn't help but want to be rich.

"Okay…" I mumbled as I go to the kitchen to do as she said. I didn't want to lose my job on the first day, after all. The plane hadn't even taken off yet and I was already having problems…

I stopped in my tracks in the middle of the airplane's hallway, leaning against the nearest wall for support. We were going to get off the ground in only five minutes; how was I going to handle this disaster?

Breathing deeply, I began my attempt at being rational. _Nothing bad will happen, Kagome; it's just a plane. We'll only be up 25,000 feet in the sky, and the likelihood of us crashing is minimal… and even if we did crash, the pilots are professionals and can handle anything…_

My face got redder as I became more scared and nervous, and suddenly I felt very, very dizzy. The last thing I wanted to do was faint, so I kept myself awake by reminding myself of my task: getting to the kitchen to serve the ice king.

Once I got there, the smells of food made me feel even queasier, which was definitely not good. I quickly told them what Sesshoumaru wanted and they smiled all-knowingly, as if this were routine for them. They told me it'd be about twenty minutes and I nodded with my body turned away from them, for fear of puking right then and there.

As I ran to the bathroom once again, a strong hand grabbed mine and whirled me around. "Are you okay?" he asked me and I silently damned him—he didn't really care; Sesshoumaru just wanted his damn food.

"Let me go!" I shrieked and watched in horror as the other passengers in the business class stared at me as if I were insane.

Instead, his grip tightened and I groaned, knowing what'd be coming. _I'm so sorry Sango,_ I thought to myself.

Everything suddenly went in slow-motion, and before I knew it Sesshoumaru was handing me a handkerchief. He pressed it against my mouth as I became sick, tears rolling from my eyes as the acid burnt my throat. His left hand was no longer squeezing my wrist, and I took advantage of this by running to the bathroom once more, clutching the silk to my mouth as I ran.

Inside, I sat for a good fifteen minutes on the floor retching until I was sure my stomach was empty. The plane started to move as I stood up and it was hard to stand, so I sat on the toilet while cradling my head in my hands. Once the plane was relatively stable and almost like being on the ground, I washed my hands and rinsed out my mouth, dying to get rid of the smell and taste left behind. I didn't know what to do with the soiled handkerchief, so I washed it with the soap available and wrung it out the best I could.

When I left the bathroom, a couple of the passengers glared at me, as if disgusted by the scene. Some of their faces read 'she's not coming near me' while others looked more sympathetic. I tried not to look at any of them, but especially not Sesshoumaru. I couldn't after what had just transpired between us, so instead I went into the kitchen to note the progress of his food. "It's ready!" one of the chefs told me with a cheery smile and I couldn't help but smile back. She seemed so nice; maybe everyone on this plane wasn't my enemy after all?

"My name's Rin!" she spoke, as if reading my mind.

"I'm Kagome," I replied, and already I felt more relaxed. "Have you been a chef long?" I asked her, watching her plate the meal for the ice king.

"Not really," she answered, smiling as she carefully handed the plate to me. "Sesshoumaru made me his personal chef; I fly with him on all his flights." I felt as though she might've been holding something back, but decided it wasn't my right to pry. She also looked too young to be a chef in my opinion, but I didn't say that out loud.

"It looks delicious," I said without realizing it, nearly groaning when my stomach rumbled loudly.

Rin giggled as she grabbed two more plates. "I always make extra, so there's enough for you too, if you'd like!" She was simply too nice; I felt indebted to her.

"I'll give this to him first, before he has a hissy fit, that is," I whispered and watched her laugh as I poured his drink in a glass. I tossed in a couple large ice cubes as he'd requested and then carefully carried them to him.

When I pulled out the folding tray in front of him to put down the plate, he didn't say anything—he just watched me intently.

"Here it is," I said, feeling awkward and out of place as I handed him the glass. When Sesshoumaru didn't say anything, I reserved the urge to sigh out loud; he was no less frustrating when he kept silent than when he spoke.

Finally, I spoke yet again. "I didn't know what to do with the handkerchief…" I pulled the pathetic piece of silk from my pocket and chewed my lip when I saw the crinkles all over it. "I washed it with soap, but there was only so much I could do…"

"Keep it."

I looked over at him as he delicately spooned the risotto into his mouth and took a sip of his whisky. He really did act like a rich person, I noticed.

"Uh, thank you," I mumbled. "Is there anything else you'd like?" His eyes met mine for a split second and my cheeks pinked a little at the scrutiny. "No, that'll be all for now."

I nodded and then addressed the other passengers in the business class. A few of them wanted water with ice and I smiled, knowing this was something I could do.

As I did the menial tasks, I couldn't help but think of Sesshoumaru and his unexpected kindness towards me. I silently hoped that maybe things had changed in our business relationship and that he'd be less of an asshole towards me. Something told me I'd be working a lot with him in the future, so I wanted things to be relatively civil between us.

When I handed the last patron his glass of water, I heard another glass clink annoyingly. My eyes traveled in Sesshoumaru's direction and I scowled when he waved the glass at me. It was empty and the ice chunks left behind made a high pitched musical sound as they were gently tapped against the glass.

_I guess some things will never change._

XxXx

_Two hours later…_

During lunch time, it got really busy. I ran around taking orders from people and tried to keep things relatively orderly. I'd hoped things would go smoothly, but of course luck wasn't on my side today.

"I don't want this girl near my food! She practically puked in front of all of us earlier; what's to stop her from doing that on me or on my food?" He was loud and angry, but I had no idea why. What was I to do?

"Is there a problem?" Kikyou walked over to the man and introduced herself. "What can I do for you sir?"

"That girl!" he accused, pointing his finger directly at me, "I don't want her serving me!"

I bit my lip and felt ashamed; I knew I'd get hell from Kikyou for this sooner or later.

"Did she do something wrong?" Kikyou asked, staring at me harshly.

I braced myself for the worst.

"Naraku," Sesshoumaru spoke from inches behind me and I jumped, startled. "If this girl is serving me my food, why can't she do the same for you? As far as I'm concerned, I haven't had any problems with her and neither should you."

I was, once again, surprised by his intervention but was too stupefied to say anything.

"I suppose," he admitted reluctantly and waved in Kikyou's direction. "Never mind, everything's fine."

Kikyou nodded and went back into the kitchen to serve customers in the other class. When I turned around, Sesshoumaru was already in his seat and reading a newspaper.

I quickly followed Kikyou's suit and went to visit Rin in the kitchen. As she prepared the lunch menu, I learnt from her that I had to serve quickly or else it'd get cold and I'd receive complaints from the passengers. "The business class flyers are richer and have higher standards, so there isn't any room for mistakes," she told me with a small frown. "I learned that the hard way once."

I couldn't help but feel bad for her, but became confused when she began to laugh. "Let's just say someone came to my rescue." She smiled and I smiled back, even though I didn't have a clue as to what she was talking about.

"I don't think Sesshoumaru wants to eat anything, but maybe you should ask him just in case," Rin said and I nodded.

When I approached him for the third time that day, I felt awkward all over again. I silently wondered if this feeling would ever stop, but figured it probably wouldn't.

"Would you like some more food or another drink?" I asked when I noticed his glass was nearly empty again.

"No, that's all. I'll notify you if I need anything else." Sesshoumaru waved me away and I didn't protest; he'd already helped me so much.

The rest of the flight was relatively calm; the only remaining problem was the landing, but I decided that I'd deal with that once the time came.

Of course, it was so much more difficult than I could've ever hoped.

XxXx

**Author's Note**

Hooray, we met the quota of 25 reviews for chapters one and two (I got 28, wow!). Thanks so much to everyone that reviewed! I was so excited to see such a positive response from every single reviewer.

I'm really sorry it took me two months to get the next chapter out; hopefully the next one will come out a little faster than that. I also hope that everyone is still reading and reviewing, because I'd love to hear from all of you!

EDIT: The new review quota is 40 reviews before chapter four is posted. Why? Because I'm evil. (The review guideline is not strict, it's just more of a game to entertain me and see whether or not I can actually make the quota.)

Until chapter four!

Sincerely,  
DarkCrystalis


	4. Chapter Four

**Love at 25,000 Feet  
****By: DarkCrystalis**

**Disclaimer:** I don't own any characters in this story, unless they're originals (characters outside of the Inuyasha anime.)

XxXx

**Chapter Four**

I heard Kikyou's voice over the speaker; it sounded confident and knowing, as if she'd done this a million times before.

"Please take your seats and buckle your seatbelts for the landing…" she continued speaking, but I was far too scared to listen anymore.

"Rin…" I whispered desperately to her as my knees went weak.

"What is it?" she whispered back worriedly after she noticed my weak countenance.

"I'm really, really afraid of heights!" I managed to say as the plane tilted downwards for its landing.

Rin smiled and grabbed my hand. She knew exactly how to act and what to say to the point that it was a little nerve-racking. I couldn't believe how mature she was for her age; she could've been my mother for god sakes.

"We'll be okay, Kagome. I've been on planes many times, and there's never been a mishap. Trust me, these are professional people that know what they're doing."

Although her words were reassuring, I couldn't help but panic. It was my instinct; freaking out was something I couldn't avoid.

"Oh god, oh god, oh god," I chanted religiously, despite the fact that I was atheist. "Please don't let me die…!"

Rin giggled and pointed to the business class section. Sesshoumaru's index finger was pointed up towards the ceiling of the plane, showing that he needed something.

"Kagome, you have to go out there and help him!" Rin said as she began to push me out of the kitchen.

"No! I'm not leaving here!" I retorted, trying to dig my feet into the ground the best I could. "I'll fall flat on my…" It was too late; with the unexpected push and the momentum of the plane, I fell face-first into the wide aisle of the business class section. I recovered quickly, although on shaky legs. I managed to wobble over to Sesshoumaru in my high heels, gripping the armrest of his seat with a deathly grasp. A few people snickered, but when I sent them a glare threatening to hurt them, they turned their heads away.

"What… can I help you with?" A second later, I remembered my spot on the plane and I grit my teeth together, keeping my eyes shut tightly. My ears began to hurt as the plane descended, which made me whimper and cover my ears. I lost my balance, and with nothing to hold onto except my ears, I began to topple over a second time. This time Sesshoumaru was fast enough to grab me, and thankfully I fell into his lap instead of on the floor.

_Wait a minute, in his lap…?_

I blushed furiously at our current position and looked helplessly up at him. Just at that moment, Kikyou walked over and stopped mid-stride.

"What do you think you're doing?!" she hissed at me, fury clear in her eyes. "Get off of him! This is a professional environment, not a whore house on wings!" If she had been my mother, I was sure she would've grabbed my ear and dragged me back into the stewardess's waiting area. Luckily her voice was quiet enough that only Sesshoumaru and I heard it; if everyone else had too, I would've most certainly died right then and there.

"It's not what you think," I hissed back, annoyance at her ignorance in my voice. "I almost fell and then…"

"It doesn't matter, just get off of Mr. Taisho!" If I'd studied her correctly, she was **jealous** of me and wanted me off of him because she… oh my. This was not good.

Without another thought, I practically hopped off of him and ran back into the kitchen. Rin was laughing behind her hand, obviously having seen the scene from a second before. "It isn't funny!" I hissed, which only made her laugh even more.

"Oh fuck, this is a disaster…" I said as I ran a hand through my hair.

"It's not so bad, Kags. I mean, Sesshoumaru didn't seem to mind too much."

My eyes practically bulged out of my head when I heard this.

"Kagome, about Sesshoumaru and…"

Before I could listen to her anymore, I noticed the extreme pain in my ears. "Ohhh it hurtssss…" I moaned as I ravaged through the freezer for ice. I needed something to make it stop or I knew I'd go insane, much to Kikyou's pleasure.

"Here, take this," Rin said, handing me a pack of gum. "You think gum will solve my…. Ahhhh!" I groaned and seized the gum from her, popping three pieces into my mouth desperately.

"Chew with your mouth open," Rin instructed as if she were teaching a child. "It'll help with the pain; something to do with releasing pressure in your ears, I think."

It was helping a little, but what helped me the most was the ice that I finally found.

"Ta-da!" I exclaimed as I found it, grinning winningly. I pulled out the saran wrap from one of the drawers and then proceeded to put the ice into it, wrapping it thoroughly. I iced my ears and felt relief as they went numb.

"Ahhh…" I sighed happily, still chewing my gum like a cow. "Thanks for the help, Rin. I really appreciate it."

Rin smiled and pointed behind me, and for a second I panicked. "Oh no, don't tell me it's Sesshoumaru…" I whispered, but thankfully she shook her head in the negative.

"Kagome, wake up! The plane has landed and we need to help people get their things off the plane!" I nodded happily, almost wanting to kiss the ground.

Most of the passengers wanted to carry their things off themselves, so I stood at the exit of the plane, thanking people for riding our airline.

When I figured everyone had left, I walked back into business class to see Rin, who was probably still in the kitchen. Instead, I was met with something that made my stomach burn. Sesshoumaru was bending over and giving Rin a kiss on her cheek, an expression of, dare I say, tenderness on his face. I hid in the commoner's section until I was sure they'd finished being intimate. Silently, I began to question my feelings. What were they exactly?

_Jealousy…?_

No, that couldn't have been it, could it? Before another question formed in my mind, Kikyou re-entered the plane and saw me standing against the wall in deep thought.

"We have to switch planes to get back, but we have a forty-five minute break until the next flight. Go and eat or something, just stay out of my sight until then." I nodded weakly, frowning as I left.

I hadn't realized how tired I was until I'd stopped working.

XxXx

_Fifty Minutes Later…_

It didn't matter that I'd been on a plane less than an hour beforehand; here I was, scared out of my wits for a third time in the same day. Would I ever be able to do my job without having a panic attack? At this point in time, it seemed highly unlikely.

As I made my initial rounds before the plane took off, I saw a familiar face. Sesshoumaru was here again? Hadn't he just gotten here? I didn't understand, but I didn't have time to ask.

"I'll have Fois Gras with a chilled glass of Don Perringnon," he ordered without hesitation as he inspected a notebook in his lap. I suspected that it was work related, but I didn't ask.

Instead, I turned around without saying anything at all—I hadn't forgotten what had happened earlier with Rin. I had feelings of slight resentment for her keeping things quiet between them and making it sound like he was single. Her words from earlier flowed into my brain, making me frown.

"_I mean, Sesshoumaru didn't seem to mind too much."_

"Oh what the hell, what was I thinking? He's rich, decent looking and probably unavailable on many counts…" I mumbled as I went into the kitchen to tell Rin his order. "Who am I kidding? I don't want that arrogant asshole, anyway." With my reassurance in-check, I gave Rin a 'I-could-care-less-about-you-two' look.

"Sesshoumaru wants Fois Gras and a chilled glass of Don Perringnon," I said coolly as I breezed past her to the sink. I knew I'd be needing to take the medications I'd bought during my break; the man at the pharmacy told me they'd calm me down without any problems.

"Are you okay, Kags?" she asked me as I downed two of the white pills.

"Peachy!" I told her exaggeratedly, forcing a smile as I forced the capsules down my throat with water.

"Uh, okay…" Rin said unsurely as she turned away from me to start preparing Sesshoumaru's dinner.

For the next ten minutes, I took down dinner orders from people in the business class. The majority of them were unsocial and had no interest in anything but their laptops and Blackberries, so I let them be. It was less work for me, so I wasn't going to complain.

When the pilot's voice came over the intercom and announced for everyone to please be seated within the next minute, I was prepared.

Sort of.

I ran toward the bathroom and fiddled with the doorknob, willing it to open. Unfortunately, it didn't and I realized that someone was in there.

_Oh god, no! I need to get in that bathroom!_ I thought desperately as I yanked on the knob. I heard not one, but two people talking from inside and tried to listen, but the voices were hushed.

I paced in front of the door nervously, fiddling with my fingers as I waited. I could feel the plane moving on the platform and my stomach filled with butterflies. This was a nightmare…

Finally, the door opened and two bothered-looking people came out; Sesshoumaru and… Kikyou? Her face was flushed and her hair was tussled, while he looked utterly calm, as usual.

I guess he really was unavailable… in many ways, as I'd previously predicted.

Kikyou glared at me as I looked back and forth between the two of them, not knowing what to do.

"I need to go to the bathroom!" I announced loud enough for them to hear as I ran in and locked the door.

I sighed heavily and flipped down the diaper changing counter. I swung my legs on it as I sat, chewing my bottom lip. The plane slowly ascended and I felt my heart flutter in fright. I gripped onto the sides of the plastic I sat on, my knuckles once again turning white. Instead, I focused my thoughts on something else other than my fear of heights.

I grew angry at Sesshoumaru the more I thought about him. How could he be such a cheating bastard? He was with Rin one second and then Kikyou the next? My stomach no longer felt hollow, it felt full of intense loathing. I was so angry that I didn't know what I'd do if I saw Sesshoumaru again today; I could not guarantee his safety.

A knock at the door made me snap back to reality, leaving me thoroughly unhappy and annoyed.

"I need to use the washroom," an unrecognizable voice said as I grit my teeth for a second time today.

"Damn Sesshoumaru!" I half-yelled out loud as I pounded both of my fists beside me on the changing table. The pressure of that, along with my weight, made the hinges on it snap and I went toppling over along with it. There was a loud **clang **as my body and the changing table collided onto the hard ground. I grunted as I got up, inspecting the new bruises on my arms and legs.

"Great…" I muttered as I opened the door. The gentleman in front of me looked as though he wanted to ask what happened, but when he saw my furious face he quickly stepped into the washroom before I snapped on him.

All of my annoyance rose to the surface, and before I knew it I was talking out loud. "I hated seeing him with Rin, I hated seeing him with Kikyou, and I definitely hated falling into his lap! Fuck, I'm pissed!"

A pair of honey eyes turned toward me as I took a deep breath. I stared back at Sesshoumaru, my face burning.

Today was just not my day.

XxXx

**Author's Note**

Thank you to everyone that supported me through my tough moment of insecurity and anger at such cowardice. I hope that you'll all still re-review (those of you that did for the initial "important author's note") because I want to know if everyone is still enjoying the story, even if you have to do an annoymous review. I know it took me a while to get this one out, but at least it's finally here (and in my opinion, not too shabby)!

As for AU (for those of you that read it), I'm still waiting on my boyfriend to edit chapter 20. I'm sorry that it's taking a million times longer than expected, but it really should be out soon.

Let's see if we can shoot for 70 reviews for this chapter, hm? Oh, and no hard feelings to those that said things about reviews and updating/length of chapters and blah blah. I'm not going to hold any grudges!

Until the next chapter!

Sincerely,  
DarkCrystalis


	5. Chapter Five

**Love at 25,000 Feet  
****By: DarkCrystalis**

**Disclaimer:** I don't own any characters in this story, unless they're originals (characters outside of the Inuyasha anime.)

XxXx

**Chapter Five**

"Do you have a problem, Mr. Taisho?" I hissed, giving him a glare that could melt metal.

"No, none at all," he replied coolly as I'd predicted, although his eyes were slightly stormier than usual.

"Good, then you can stop staring at me!" I grit my teeth as I stared at him for a moment.

"But I think you might," he replied in a dark voice, which gave me slight chills up my spine.

"What do you know?!" I huffed, wanting nothing more than to scream away my frustration. Before he could answer, I went into the kitchen and leaned against the fridge. Rin was still preparing Sesshoumaru's food and I kept myself busy, thinking about what'd just happened. Should I tell her what I saw, or let her figure out on her own?

I opened my mouth to speak, but Rin beat me to it. "Look Kagome, I haven't been completely honest with you…" she said as she cooked, briefly glancing in my direction. "Sesshoumaru is my…"

"Your lover, I know," I said, a mix of bitterness and unhappiness in my voice. "I saw the two of you when everyone left our first flight. I don't know why you didn't just tell me, though…"

When Rin began to laugh, I started to get angry. What was so funny about this?

"Kagome…" Rin said in-between gasps of laughter, "Sesshoumaru is my…" When the man in question appeared in the doorway, she froze and bit her bottom lip, not wanting to go on.

"Rin is my girlfriend," Sesshoumaru whispered in my ear as he went to kiss her on the cheek. "Is my dinner ready yet, sweetie?"

Rin's eyes widened to a frightening size as she handed him his dinner on the white glass plate, not knowing what to say.

"I'll thank you more later," he said just loud enough for me to hear as he went to sit back down.

My mouth flopped open like a fish; I was in complete disbelief. Hell, and here I'd thought that Rin would tell me he was her older brother or something ridiculous like that…

"Thanks Rin," I said quietly as I left the kitchen.

"Kagome!" she used a stage whisper to try and get my attention, but by then I'd had no interest in listening.

I wanted to feel angry for having Rin lead me on, making me think he was single, but I couldn't help but feel sorry for her. Sesshoumaru and Kikyou being in the bathroom didn't bode well for their relationship, but for all I cared it didn't matter. I suddenly realized that I'd have to face Rin sooner rather than later to serve the rich bitches their dinners, but I kept the thought from my mind; that could wait a while.

I found Kikyou and told her I needed to use the washroom and she nodded, flicking her hand at me annoyingly. As long as I was out of her sight she didn't care what I did, I supposed.

I knew I had to get myself together before I came back out of my temporary haven, and honestly I didn't care how long it would take. At this rate, if it took all day that'd be fine with me…

XxXx

Rin emerged from the kitchen, her eyes focused on one person. She made a beeline for him, her face showing her frustration.

"Sesshomaru…" she said sweetly, wanting to get his attention.

His gaze matched hers, although Sesshoumaru's was much more relaxed; Rin's seemed oddly tense…

Nimble fingers gripped the skin at his forearm tightly, his skin turning white from the lack of blood to the area. She could tell he was struggling not to show his displeasure, but she knew he'd crack soon enough. When she went to do the same to his other side, he relented; the pinching had by this time left red welts in their wake.

"That's bothersome, I suggest that you stop," Sesshoumaru said as he rubbed the area discreetly.

"You are going to tell me why you told Kagome that lie," Rin threatened, and strangely enough she looked deadly serious. Not a hint of her previous laughter was there; she could've been a murderer, or at least passed off as one. "Or I'm going to tell the press some nasty things about you and your role at home."

He nearly grinned at her wrath; it was something he'd only seen a once before in the past. Rin had always been a bubbly and happy girl growing up, so it meant that she extremely bothered by something for her to go through such extensive lengths of enragement. For her to threaten him in such a fashion, he knew that she wouldn't take no for an answer.

"The girl is childish and too feisty; she explodes at the smallest comment and jumps to conclusions better than kangaroos. She deserves to sulk for a good while; her act might be acceptable at home, but I'll make sure it's controlled here. In fact, let her think that I'm a horrible man; it'll make the rest of the time we spend together so much more interesting. I'm not known to be the friendly-type anyway; I'm more like the bitter apple spray which keeps dogs off furniture."

"You're joking," Rin whispered in horror as her hand went over her lips. "You're not…"

Kagome emerged from the washroom and eyed the two suspiciously. "I hope you're not talking about me," she said as she sneered at her ex-friend and ex-whoever-he-was. It didn't matter if they talked about her anyway, did it?

"Did Kikyou speak to you yet?" Sesshoumaru asked as he turned to me and I frowned, not having a clue as to what he was talking about.

When I didn't respond, he continued. "You'll be accompanying me on all of my flights as my personal flight attendant. I travel three or four times a week, depending on the season and other important factors. However, I'm sure that with your flexible time schedule which I have right here, you'll have no problem." He waved his cell phone in my direction and I scowled, getting angrier with each passing second. On the screen was a copy of my available working hours. I absolutely hated him.

"Just because I'm available doesn't mean I'm going to work those hours every week," I retorted, feeling better with my come-back.

"Good thing that my schedule times vary by the week, then," Sesshoumaru replied and I hissed, hating the look of pleasure on his face.

"Maybe I don't want to fly with you," I said, hating the childishness in my comment almost more than I loathed him.

"You don't have a say in the matter. You're forgetting that I'm a very, very powerful man; I can make your life and the ones of your family extremely uncomfortable if you choose to decline."

My jaw literally dropped open at this comment and I turned to Rin for help, temporarily forgetting that she wasn't on my side anymore.

"Y-You can't do that!" I said, outraged that he'd openly threaten me.

"Refuse; take a chance and find out."

Rin turned to me, a look of slight weakness in her eyes. "Kagome, I think it'd be in your best interest to listen…"

I stared at her for a moment, rather disbelievingly. She was endorsing this, too? I mean, she was his girlfriend and all, but in her mind this was all good and well?

"Th-This is crazy!" I said as I walked away from him, my hand going over my face as I began to panic. What would or could happen to my family if I said no? If one of them got hurt, I'd only have myself to blame—I'd never forgive myself, and all because I didn't serve an arrogant bastard? Was it really worth the risk?

"I'll think about it," I said weakly, not wanting to deal with it anymore. I went into the kitchen and sat in the corner chair, my hands shaking in my lap as I considered my few options.

XxXx

"I can't believe you just said that!" Rin said desperately as she waited for his answer.

When he kept quiet, she continued, her eyes getting moister as time went on. "She likes you, you dope. She likes you as a person; she doesn't even fully know who you are, and yet she likes you. But what do you do? First, you tell her I'm your girlfriend, then you reinforce the lie in the kitchen, and to top things off you push her away even further when you force her into an extremely uncomfortable situation. You're making her sacrifice her happiness to work for you so that you don't hurt her family; what kind of man are you? She thinks that you might seriously harm them!"

"I doubt it," Sesshoumaru scoffed, ignoring her concerned words. "She is good at her job, despite her lack of experience and tact. She's also not dumb, so I'm sure she could…"

Rin slapped him across the face with her good hand, silencing him. "You've let me down," she whispered with tears in her eyes as her lips trembled, leaving him sitting stunned in his chair.

Sesshoumaru watched her walk away, disbelief on his face. If anyone had looked in his direction, they would've seen the uncertainty in his eyes.

XxXx

I watched an upset Rin walk into the kitchen, her fingertips furiously dabbing at her eyes. It looked as though she might've been crying, but I couldn't be certain. I silently wondered if Sesshoumaru had told her about his escapade with Kikyou in the washroom, but somehow I got the vibe that that wasn't the problem.

"Kagome, I'm so sorry," Rin said in a whisper as a couple tears streamed down her face. "Sesshoumaru isn't that bad of a man; he's just really terrible with expressing his thoughts and feelings. He'd never really do any of those things, take it from me. As a dad he's pretty okay… I mean, I turned out decently, didn't I?" Rin wiped her eyes with a tissue from the countertop as I stared at her in disbelief for the second time.

"He's your father?" I managed to say as she blew her nose. A small nod was my response and I thanked god that I was already sitting down, otherwise I would've surely collapsed.

_Then maybe Kikyou is his girlfriend?_

"You see, I think he likes you, Kagome," Rin spoke with a small voice and I strained to hear her, "and I know you don't know him, but I think you should give him a chance one day when you do."

I gave her a quizzical look as she sat down, her head cradled in her hands. "When I grew up in my neighborhood, we were poor and hardly had the basic necessities. My mother worked full time at a coffee shop and I hardly ever saw her; my dad was never in the picture."

I went to ask her what she meant by that, but she went on. "One day, my mother got robbed as she walked home after her shift. They beat her badly and she was sent to the hospital. They'd hit her in the head so many times that…" her voice became shaky and I grabbed hold of her hand, letting her know I was there for her. "She died from the wounds. And all for two hundred dollars…" Rin forced a laugh and I felt a tear fall down my face; she'd had such a rough life.

"With no one to support me, I scrounged the streets for whatever I could find: food, mostly. I was too young to know about shelters, so the streets became my new home. Some strangers were kind and would give me spare change, so I'd go to the shop when my mother worked and order a cup of tea and a sprinkled doughnut; they were my mother's favourite…" At this, Rin smiled slightly, but I couldn't have been any more depressed.

"One day on the street, an older man tried to lead me into the alleyway. He told me he'd pay me if I took off my clothes… I was afraid of him and knew I couldn't fight him off, so I screamed as loud as I could. Sesshoumaru came and rescued me, as corny as it sounds," Rin said with a small laugh. "It was a turning point in my life. Soon after some paperwork was filed, he adopted me and became my official guardian, who I've come to know as my father."

"Th-That's…" I said as my voice cracked, "So sweet!" I began to bawl and Rin hugged me, her hands soothing around my back. I wept into her shoulder, not knowing what else to do. "I'm so sorry that I accused you and didn't listen to you; I truly am a terrible friend."

"It's okay," Rin said as she grinned. "You're the best worst friend I've ever had!" We both laughed at this and smiled, wiping the tears from my eyes.

"I'll work for him if you're with me," I said, hoping that she'd come too.

"I already do—I'm his personal chef. Plus I'm his daughter and he won't want to let me out of his sight; he doesn't want those money-hungry men chasing after me!" I found myself laughing again, following her suit.

Maybe things wouldn't be so bad after all.

XxXx

**Author's Note**

Wow, it's been an awful long time. I'm in university for the summer (I got accepted, yay!) and I'm taking a full courseload, so needless to say I don't have much free time anymore. Plus I have my part-time job (because I need to make money), so that eats up even more of the little free time that I have. Sorry about the long due update, but at least it finally showed. I'm not trying to make excuses, I'm just letting you all know what's going on in my life.

Thank you to those that still read and review--I got some comments lately and that spurred me into getting the next chapter out. For those of you that also read AU, I'm not sure when the next one will be released, but hopefully relatively soon. I know it's been 4 months and that's brutal, but please hang in there.

Hope everyone enjoyed the chapter! Thank you for your patience!

Sincerely,  
DarkCrystalis


	6. Chapter Six

**Love at 25,000 Feet**

**By: DarkCrystalis**

**Disclaimer:** I don't own any characters in this story, unless they're originals (characters outside of the Inuyasha anime.)

XxXx

**Chapter Six**

Working with the ice king proves to be more difficult as time goes on. He seems more demanding and less humane, but there's not much I can do. I've survived him for just over a week now; that has to show for something, doesn't it?

My only consolation in this is that Rin's always by my side. At least I'm not totally alone in hell.

"Kagome, food's up!" Rin called softly from the kitchen as she quickly plated Sesshoumaru's dinner.

"Coming," I mumbled as I made my way over to her, not wanting to get bitched at by mister picky for less-than-hot food. That had already happened once, and it wasn't in the least pleasant…

_I was busy getting the dinner orders earlier on in the week when Rin said his food was ready. I told her I'd need a few more minutes until I could bring him his dish. When I got there, she mentioned that it might have cooled off by now, to which I'd said "It'll be fine!"_

_Before the food even landed on his tray, he eyed it with distaste. "It's cold," he said before dismissing it all together. "Have Rin make me a new one."_

_I was shell-shocked; he would have her waste the food and throw it out, all to make a new one? It just didn't make sense!_

"_I'll have her warm it up for you," I said, not agreeing with his previous request._

"_Have her cook another one," Sesshoumaru repeated as he stared into my eyes._

"_If you want another one, cook it yourself, you ungrateful pig," I whispered with annoyance in my voice._

"_Learn to not serve cold food and do your job," Sesshoumaru answered in an icy tone, but I saw his eyes flare._

"_I can make better use of the food if you don't want it," I said as a dark gleam glinted in my eyes. He didn't quite catch my meaning, and before he knew it his meal landed in a disgusting mess on his head._

_The only thing I regretted about that was the half an hour long lecture from Kikyou about 'proper etiquette.'_

I giggled at the memory as I gathered the plate in my hands. I could feel that the food wasn't as hot as when Rin had prepared it, but it was still warm. When I set the plate in front of him a second later, he half-grunted, but said nothing. Silently, I rejoiced in my victory.

"It's not too hot, is it?" I asked him with a cool smile.

"No, but it's edible I suppose."

XxXx

This went back and forth over the next few weeks. I began to learn the things that ticked him off and the things that he expected. It wasn't too bad—surviving a month was an accomplishment, and apparently Sango noticed.

"I can't believe you're still hangin' around, girly. The most someone has ever lasted with Mr. Taishou is two weeks, and she was a bit of a firecracker. Still don't know how you get away with doing the things you do, just keep your job for my sake. I think Japan is running out of women to satisfy him…" She trailed off, her face going a pale white when I grinned and pointed behind her.

"Tell me that's not Mr. Taishou," Sango desperately whispered, and I smiled.

"Okay, it isn't."

"Thank god because…" When Sango was interrupted by a deep male voice, she tensed.

"I'm difficult to please, Miss Nagasaki?" Sesshoumaru drawled, half-amused.

"N-no, what I meant to say was…"

"I'll let it slide this time—you're generally a good person to deal with. I know you wouldn't dare to make the same mistake twice."

"O-of course not, Mr. Taishou!" I rolled my eyes when Sango sighed in relief as she bowed. Apparently his 'lordship' was in a good mood today. Or at least as good as it'll get.

"It's time to leave," Sesshoumaru stated as he left his two briefcases. They weighed a ton each, yet he still expected me to carry them on my own. "If you need to make two trips, I'll have the plane held up for a few minutes." He didn't look back over his shoulder as he strode toward the plane.

"He's such a selfish pig," I mumbled as I picked up one of the cases. Sango, thankfully, grabbed the other and followed behind me.

We walked and the both of us chatted. She kept a better pace than me and I struggled to keep up. When the briefcase slipped from my hand and clattered to the floor, I bent down to pick it up, thanking the gods that it hadn't opened. Before I knew it though, a man talking angrily on his cell phone bumped into me and tripped over my knees. He grunted as he attempted to keep from falling, but failed. My face burned with anger when he stared at me with loathing, as if to say this were all my fault.

"Pay attention to where you're going, you moron!" I yelled at him as he picked up his phone.

"Wench, I don't appreciate your attitude. Do you know who you're even talking to?" It was funny, because he looked familiar, even though I was sure I'd never met him before…

It was then that Sango realized that I'd stopped following her, so she ran back to where the two of us argued. She waved her hands at me like she once had when Sesshoumaru and I had our initial dispute, but it was already too late.

"I'm the son of Mr. Taishou, the owner of Taishou Corp. Treat me as royalty, you second-rate flight attendant. Do you damn job and do it right, or I'll have you fired!"

He had pushed me to my limit.

Without thinking, I slapped him so hard that his face spun to one side.

"I'll have to call you back," he said in a threatening tone to the person on the other end before hanging up.

"What do you think you're doing? Are you asking for a lawsuit against me? I'll take everything from you—your house and everything you own; I'll make your life hell!" He half-screamed at me, his face going red with annoyance… or maybe it was from the good smacking I'd just given him.

"Look buddy, I don't really care who you are. I don't accept that kind of treatment from anyone; nobody hurts me and gets away with it!" I went to hit him again, but my arm was pulled behind my back before I could.

"Inuyasha, what a unpleasant surprise," Sesshoumaru said from behind me as he took the suitcase out of my other hand. Sango's followed a moment later. "Little brother, who have you provoked since you arrived here five minutes ago?"

I knew I recognized that face—he was the younger, less cooled image of Sesshoumaru. Apparently his name was Inuyasha. Quite ironic; he was pretty feisty like a Rottweiler.

"Ditto. This wench made he trip on her, I think a lawsuit is in order." He began dialing his cell phone at a scarily fast rate. It was taken from his fingers a second later by Sesshoumaru, who crushed the phone in one hand.

"Not necessary. She works for me," he said as he tossed Inuyasha the destroyed phone.

"What the fuck do you think you're doing? I have important phone numbers, schedules and all of my shit on that phone!" By now a huge crowd of people had gathered to watch the show.

"Get another one. Besides, I'm sure that whore you have for a secretary has everything on the computer for you anyway." He motioned for me to follow him, and I wasn't reluctant in the least. His brother was almost as bad as him—two of them would be a headache I can't handle.

"Oh, and by the way doggy-breath, my name is Ka-go-me. Get it right; I think you could manage that much." I waved goodbye to Sango and strutted behind Sesshoumaru as we left. I heard him yell something and laughed; that guy was unbelievable.

As Sesshoumaru sat down on the plane, I stood beside him, asking what he wanted Rin to make. She'd already been waiting on the plane, thank goodness. That was a scene I was glad she'd missed.

"I was wondering what took you so long to bring my items," Sesshoumaru said as he analyzed his nails and hands. "I didn't realize you were so weak."

I sighed and took down his meal and drink order. I had to think happy, positive thoughts. After all, it could've been a lot worse, right?

XxXx

And worse it got. The flight Sesshoumaru was on today was headed to the Canada for the weekend, Toronto to be exact, and unfortunately I was being dragged along for the entire trip. I hadn't even known I'd be going until he demanded this of me an hour after we took off. Mind you, I was in the bathroom puking for the majority of that time, so I'd had no idea. At first, I rejected the thought.

"Nope, not happening; I have things to do back in the city," I said without thinking, trying to scramble ways for me to escape.

"It'd be a waste of time if you went back and then had to fly out again on Sunday to accompany me back to Japan," he reasoned, and for the first time I realized he was capable of rational thought. "It's a long flight."

Indeed it was; over twenty hours, actually. It was brutal.

"I don't even have any clothes with me!" I replied, my face going red.

"I might like you better that way," Sesshoumaru replied without a hint of pigheadedness. I knew what he was thinking, though.

"Stop imagining me in that state!" I said as I went to hit him.

"I'm sure Rin has some clothes to lend you for the weekend, or I could grudgingly buy you some in the event that you don't fit into hers. After all, she isn't a fat cow," he added as an afterthought.

I got even more worked up, but he grinned when he saw this. Sesshoumaru was such a sick bastard.

"You don't really have a choice now, you know. You might as well come and be of some use."

"I guess so," I relented, not seeing a way out of this. However, he wasn't going to be let off the hook for calling me a cow—I'd get back at him somehow, someway.

"Have you ever been out of Japan?" He asked conversationally, and I shivered. This was too weird.

"No," I replied, suddenly feeling a burst of excitement. My first trip! The thought was crushed when I realized I'd have to cater to his highness the whole time, but it couldn't be too bad. After all, in the end stretch of April, there were plenty of things to do there, right?

"I've got an incredibly busy schedule while I'm there, so you'll have a lot of work to do. I have some papers for you to sort out, some number crunching for you to do and so on…." He babbled on and on, but internally I fumed.

"I'm not your secretary," I interrupted, annoyed that he thought he could push me around.

"You will be for the weekend if you want to keep your family's shrine," he said so casually that my heart jumped into my throat.

"No way… you're not serious, are you?" The fright I felt showed in my eyes, I was sure, and he took advantage of it.

"Do what you want, but there may be consequences that follow."

I really, really hated him.

"Fine, but just for this weekend." The glint in his eyes of victory, I vowed, would not last long. If Sesshoumaru was going to play games, I promised to do the same in return.

XxXx

**Author`s Note**

Yeah, this chapter took me a long time to get out… I hope people are still reading, though. I really do love this story, so hopefully I`ll be able to write more for it in the near future. Thank you for all of the encouraging words from the previous chapter`s reviews… it`d be great to hear from you guys again if you`re all still around.

Until the next chapter!

Sincerely,

DarkCrystalis


	7. Chapter Seven

**Love At 25,000 Feet  
****By: DarkCrystalis**

**Disclaimer:** I don't own any of the characters... unless they're originals, of course. (Sorry for the lack of humour, I'm just too tired at the moment to say anything funny.)

XxXx

**Chapter Seven**

Toronto, from what I could see, was a busy place, but it didn't compare to Japan's hustle and bustle as much. Nonetheless, it was still a nice place. Lots of tall buildings downtown lit up brightly in the evening, and the Pearson airport was packed full of people, all looking like they had somewhere better to be. I guess that's how business people are—I mean, Sesshoumaru is a prime example of the typical suited-up tight ass.

As we got to the ice prince's hotel room, I was deeply disturbed when I saw that we'd be sharing a room together. Luckily, there were two king beds, at least. As I went to sit on one, Sesshoumaru stopped me.

"Ahaha, do you actually think you're sleeping on a bed?" he asked me as he gestured for me to throw his bag on the bed. "I'm moving these together and I'm sleeping here. Besides, I might call for some 'company' later tonight, and that second bed would really be useful."

I visibly gagged at his obvious intentions and silently began dreading the trip. Initially I wasn't too put off, but this topped the rancid cake.

"Really, I don't want to know about anything you plan on doing here or with who. Keep me out of all of it, and I might make it through this alive. Where is Rin, anyway?" I asked hopefully as I resisted the urge to cross my fingers.

"She's in another room, of course," he replied as if it were second nature.

"Why the hell couldn't I be in a different room? Are you that cheap?" I asked, annoyed.

"You don't want to know how much a night these rooms are. It'd probably be a few of your paycheques, at the very least," he said with a mischievous glint in his eyes. "Jacuzzi suits with full kitchens and bathrooms, along with the best room service and alternate services available don't come cheap. You can try convincing me to buy you a separate room, though," Sesshoumaru added with a devilish grin as my face paled considerably.

"Not a chance in hell," I answered as I groaned, wondering how I'd gotten into this horrifying situation in the first place.

Thankfully, someone knocked and I practically ran to the door to save myself from his frightening train of thought.

"Rin, thank god it's you," I said as I hugged her. "Save me!" I whispered into her ear as I gripped her shoulders.

"I came by to give you some clothes for the trip. I'm not sure if they'll fit, but you might as well try them on!" I wanted to hug her; she was always so sweet and bubbly.

"Well, I'll give them a shot!" I said as I eyed the short skirt and provocative blouse. She was doing this out of the goodness of her heart—I knew I had to at least try them on. Or so I'd thought, anyway.

When I came out of the bathroom a few minutes later, I grunted. This definitely would **not** work.

"Wow Kagome, you're such a foxy lady!" she exclaimed as she gave me a sly wink. She came over and then gave me a hug, whispering 'Go gett'im!' in my ear. I practically wanted to kill her, but I settled on a cold glare in her direction when Sesshoumaru wasn't looking. Rin was as bad as him, a scheming monster; like father like daughter. 'Out of the goodness of her heart'—my ass!

"Hey, aren't you going to say something?" Rin asked Sesshoumaru as he quietly looked at Kagome.

"Those clothes look somewhat familiar, but I can't quite put my finger on it." His hand was gracefully poised under his chin as he seemed to be in deep thought. When he recognized the clothes, his eyes glimmered with what I came to know as the 'ultimate evil' look.

"Didn't you convince a friend to buy that for you from a sex store for a Halloween party?"

Rin's eyes widened and she immediately shook her head. "No way, that was a green and red plaid skirt, not this black and red one. The shirt I had was white by the way, not light blue!" Rin nodded happily after defending herself successfully, but as soon as we had a moment alone, the chef would be smoked.

"Ah, that's right. Well, either way, this one looks awfully similar," he said, making the situation worse. "I think these clothes will be okay for tonight, but we'll have to take her shopping tomorrow," he said grudgingly as he rubbed his temples. "I am mentally preparing myself for the headache in advance."

I scowled in his direction as I placed my hands over my hips. "I don't know who you think you are, but believe it or not, you're no more special than anyone else on this world. In fact, because you're such a stuck-up brat, I bet you're even **less** special! In addition, it isn't the people around you that give you headaches—**you're** the one that gives them to **yourself**!" I pointed at him as I spoke and nothing could stop me.

"Kagome..." Rin said as she attempted to silence me, but I shrugged off her arm from my shoulder.

"You have the **gall** to force me on some business trip which I have nothing to do with and don't give me a chance to pack my bags. Hell, you didn't even **ask** if I wanted to come or if I would ever-so-kindly accompany you... instead, you drag me along like a toy, just like the damn Rottweiler you are, exactly like your brother! Even worse, you stand there and make **fun** of me like it's your job, when obviously it isn't. Don't you have better things to do than socialize with this 'lowly one'?"

By this time, he'd slowly walked up to me and Rin had left the room. Apparently she didn't want to be a part of what was going to happen next, whatever that might have been.

"Your face gets red when you're pissed off," Sesshoumaru said as his fingers brushed across my left cheek.

"Don't touch me!" I yelled as I pushed him away from me. "Stop treating me like a whore that you so often take company in. I'm here unwillingly doing my job, not entertaining you or making your life any better. Keep at least five feet between us during this trip, or I swear you'll regret it," I said as I inhaled deeply for air.

"By the way, don't you think for a moment that you're having both beds. One of them is mine, and you're going to be kind enough to move it at least five feet from yours." I grabbed a hotel room card and another card for the Manager's Reception before leaving. I left the room angrier than when I'd arrived, which was almost unbelievable.

After the door slammed, Sesshoumaru sat on the end of one of the beds and smiled. This was going to be interesting.

XxXx

I went downstairs to the lounge, a card for the room in one hand and a card for free drinks in another. I walked straight to the bar and flashed the bartender my card, ordering a double-shot of vodka. I downed it in two seconds, then ordered another. The second went down just as fast as the first and my throat burned all the way down to my stomach from the alcohol. The third drink I ordered was a strawberry daiquiri, which was heavenly. Strawberry, lime and extra liquor blended with ice was definitely my favourite drink!

I walked into the lounge and helped myself to some of the free snacks. It was a courtesy to the patrons of the hotel to be served munchies during certain hours at the hotel each night. In addition was a cooked-to-order breakfast each morning of your stay which I was definitely excited for. This was all written on one of the brochures I'd picked up on the way down the elevator, which I read with pleasure.

I went to get some tortilla chips and salsa as I waved frantically at Rin when I saw her. She gestured for me to come sit at her table, which I did.

"I can't believe you gave me these clothes," I said, still annoyed with her. I uncomfortably surveyed the people around me and gave deathly stares to the guys that couldn't keep their eyes off of me.

"Hey, I told you that you had to work on getting together with him. Wearing a prissy airline uniform isn't the way to go, Kagome!"

"Yeah, but you've got the whole damn hotel full of pervy men staring at me!" I hissed as she tentatively gave the room a once-over.

"Oops! " she said as she giggled behind her hand. ``I swear, I didn`t think about that!" she said honestly as she sipped at her drink, which appeared to be orange juice. It turned out to be mango.

"Are you feeling okay, Kagome?" Rin asked me as I got up and wobbled slightly.

"I just need another drink," I said as I rubbed my eyes. I wasn`t quite drunk yet, but I had a feeling that I would be soon. The guys around the lounge started trying to talk to me, but I continually shrugged them off. Rin watched in the distance with worry on her face, but she didn't intervene. One man in particular seemed determined.

"You`re not from around here, are you?" he asked me as I ignored him. He was pretty old, probably in his late thirties or early forties, and quite frankly I didn`t feel like talking to him, but he wouldn`t let up.

I ordered another drink, but the man behind the counter told me that only three drinks were free each night. I sighed, remembering that I`d left my wallet back in the room. This skirt or shirt didn`t have pockets, so Rin hadn`t really left me a choice. Additionally, I`d left in such a huff that I`d left my purse behind... what crappy luck.

The creepy man offered to buy me another, but I shook my head no. Instead, I went to walk back to my hotel room to retrieve my purse, but he followed close on my heels.

"Are you heading back to your room now? In a strange place like this, I bet you`d love some company..." he grabbed my arm and I shakily shrugged it off. I quietly hoped that when the elevator door opened, there would be some hotel staff and all my worries would be over. Instead, I practically cried when it was empty, since the only person in it got out and headed towards the lounge. To make things worse, the man became more persistent and tried to grab my ass, which I agilely evaded. When the elevator dinged, I realized that someone else was getting out, and once again my hopes rose.

It was a bit of a surprise, but I was thankful nonetheless. It was Sesshoumaru, and from the look on his face he was **not** happy.

"Get him away from me," I pleaded discretely to him in Japanese, which I hoped he wouldn`t see as a joke. Thankfully, he didn`t.

"I think it`d be in your best interest to get away from my girlfriend," Sesshoumaru said in perfect English as he grabbed my arm and pulled me beside him.

"Who do you think you are? I had my eyes on this girl ever since she came downstairs. Besides, she`s dressed like a whore—I highly doubt she could get herself a boyfr..."

Sesshoumaru punched him so quickly that initially, I thought my drunkenness made me imagine it. The man fell to the floor, out cold, and I sighed. The reality of the situation then hit me and I felt tears spring to my eyes. What would have happened if he hadn`t have been there? What situation would I have gotten myself in to?

I broke free from him and ran down the hall, out the front doors and onto the street. The sidewalks were bursting with people since it was rush hour; everyone was trying to get home.

I felt the tears stream out as I leaned against the hotel`s wall. I could feel my makeup run down my face as I slouched onto my feet, my knees bent as I shook in emotional turmoil. When I felt someone`s gaze on me, I looked up and saw Sesshoumaru, his eyes shining with something I`d never seen in them before. He took off his jacket and put it around my shoulders, telling me to button it up as he helped me on my feet.

"Let`s get you inside and cleaned up. After that, I`ll find you some more appropriate clothes until we go shopping." He sounded human, although we all knew he wasn`t really. This was just one of his nicer moments—Sesshoumaru was still, without a doubt, the devil. In Armani.

I sniffled as we walked past the lobby and ignored the looks people gave us. One of the hotel staff asked if there was anything they could do, but Sesshoumaru shook his head as he lead me toward the elevator.

The events replayed in my head, and it only occurred to me just then that he`d called me his girlfriend.

Sesshoumaru`s **girlfriend**. As in, the **devil`s girlfriend**.

This was just too surreal, and I knew my head wasn't going to be able to take it. I passed out a second later, right in the middle of the lobby. What came afterwards, though, was even more embarrassing.

XxXx

**Author's Note**

I really liked how this chapter turned out. I especially liked how quickly it was added (in comparison to all of my previous updates which were rather slow). Lately I've been writing for this story and seem to have an easier time with it than AU; the ideas are flowing for it which is awesome. Maybe because it's still in its early stages, but I guess we'll see how it goes.

I'm so happy to hear that practically all the reviewers thought the last chapter was hilarious! I re-read it myself and thought it sounded decently humourous, which is a good thing IMO. Either way, it's nice to know there are people out there still tuning into my crazy plot and are essentially enjoying it.

Hope I can update again soon. Thanks again for all your support... it's appreciated so much, you have no idea!

Sincerely,  
DarkCrystalis  
AKA Angel/Emma


	8. Chapter Eight

**Love At 25,000 Feet****  
By: DarkCrystalis**

Disclaimer: I don't own the characters in this story unless I've made them up myself. Period!

XxXx

**Chapter Eight**

When I woke up, the door to our hotel room was right in my face. I thanked god that I'd only passed out for a couple minutes, but I suddenly panicked. How was it possible to be seeing the door from a sideway view if...

Oh. Well, Sesshoumaru's carrying me princess-style, of course it makes sense.

Or not.

I yelped out of shock and fought to be put back on my feet. Sesshoumaru, being caught off-guard, wasn't ready for my struggle and dropped me, flat on my ass no less. Well, I supposed I deserved it, but how rude!

"**Hey!**" I said, outraged as he smirked at my predicament.

"White, low-cut underwear... you're such a granny underneath that sultry outfit," he commented wryly as I regained my footing, albeit a bit red-faced.

"I don't know what you're doing looking underneath my skirt, but you're really **shameless**!" I immediately pushed my skirt down as soon as possible and went to reach for the room key, which I soon found out that I didn't have.

"Right, no pockets..." I mumbled helplessly as I turned to the pervert. "Open the door!"

He quirked an eyebrow at me, but surprisingly didn't fight the command. He opened it easily and, even more shockingly, gestured for me to go in first. When I entered the room, Rin sat on the bed, a worried look on her face. I also took note that my footing wobbled slightly, but I silently hoped that they wouldn't notice.

"Kagome, I'm so sorryyyyyy!" she whined as she hugged me. My poor chest, which was squeezed into the shirt, popped slightly out the top as if I'd been wearing a push-up. I didn't like how Sesshoumaru was staring at me...

"Can you be human for just a minute? Would it really kill you?" I said as I buttoned up the shirt right to the top. "And don't act all innocent-like—I know what you were doing," I added quickly with a scowl. "I'm taking a shower," I mumbled as I closed and locked the door to the bathroom. I needed to cool my body down—the alcohol was heating me up too much. Plus, the fact that I felt woozy didn't help my case any.

I heard Rin leave a few minutes later, promising to see me tomorrow bright and early for breakfast.

I began filling up the Jacuzzi, but my reflection in the mirror made me momentarily stop from undressing. I looked like complete and utter shit.

My mascara had run down my eyes and was smudged onto my eyelids. My skin was extremely pale, probably from the momentary loss of consciousness, and my hair was a mess. I looked like a drowned rat that'd been killed and brought back to life. To boot, I could barely walk to save my life, and when i made my weak attempt, I might as well have broken an ankle because that's what it looked like. I guess I couldn't really blame Sesshoumaru for looking at my chest—I mean, with a face like this, what else could he have looked at?

I sighed as I removed my clothes, letting them flop over into a pile beside the Jacuzzi. It had started to fill and the water temperature was just right, which was one of the few things which had gone well today. I giggled as my body slid down one side and into the huge tub; it was almost like a slide! I turned on the jets and adjusted myself so that they hit my sore spots, mainly my back. It felt so nice that I almost forgot that I was here with my jackass of a boss. I was rudely reminded of that fact when he knocked on the door loudly, demanding for the door to be open because he had to use the washroom.

Of course, I quickly explained that I was in the middle of bathing and that the door would remain shut. He didn't like this idea one bit, and therefore began fiddling with the lock. I knew it wouldn't be long before the door opened, so I had to think.

"There are washrooms outside of the suite, you know," I said as I sighed, knowing that I'd have to get changed before he barged in.

"I paid good money to have a private bathroom, not one that a bunch of other dirty commoners use," he snapped back, albeit in a cooled voice as he worked the lock.

"What if I was naked when you came in here? I haven't put my clothes back on yet!" I said, once again outraged as I rushed to put them back on.

"Then I'd be blinded for life," he replied, and from his voice I knew he was grinning. God, he was such an asshole.

"That didn't stop you earlier from peeking at my rack when your **daughter** was hugging me—or does that turn you on, you sick, **sick** man!" I exclaimed with disgust, waiting for his response. The door was suddenly left alone and I could tell he was in shock.

"Firstly, I've never seen her as anything but my ward," he returned, his voice once again harsh and serious. "Secondly, how did you find that out?"

Now it was me that was grinning as I sat on the edge of the tub, my feet soaking up the water gently.

"That's none of your business! Besides, I have a great intuition for those kinds of things," I knew I was lying through my teeth, but he wouldn't know that.

"Oh, really? Then what do you think about Kikyo and I, if you're so good at 'those kinds of things'?" he said, his previous grin now back in full-force.

I gulped quietly, not really knowing how to answer his question. He had me stuck between a rock and a hard place, and boy did he ever know it. I was also quite tipsy, so my slower brain functioning wasn't helping my case. I knew because a second later, he rubbed it in my face.

"I saw how you treated me after she and I 'met' in the airline washroom—the hatred was written all over your body language. Kagome, you have a terrible habit of always showing how you feel on your face," Sesshoumaru added in a tone slightly softer than the one before.

Once again, I was at a loss for words. Only this moron did these kinds of things to me—but why him, when he was the one that managed to tick me off the most?

"She looked like she'd been ravaged," I said as I sighed. "It was quite an awful sight."

Although Kagome couldn't see it, Sesshoumaru quirked an eyebrow from behind the door. Did she really think he would believe the lame excuse? Surely she didn't think he was stupid.

"Just admit that you were jealous, Kagome," Sesshoumaru said in a mischievous tone that bordered on cockiness. "I know that I'm irresistible, now all you have to do is admit it to yourself... and to me, of course."

"Your head is full of hot air—you should let some of it out," I spat back, now angry, but more riled that he was right. "Regardless of what you think, the world doesn't revolve around you—not everything is about **you**!" I could feel my nerves starting to snap...

"You're right. Once in a while, things are about Rin, my co-workers or friends. So, in theory, only nine out of ten things are about me."

By now, my face had gone red from annoyance. I had presumed that he wasn't all that bad of a person, but this really got to me. I knew he was rich and well-known, but that didn't make him king of the damn world!

I opened the door, now thoroughly ready to give him a tongue-lashing. "You **really piss me off!**" I screamed at him as I pushed him. He was able to re-balance to avoid toppling over, and that just made me even angrier. I'd haphazardly put on the ridiculous things called clothes a second earlier, but they stuck to my body like glue due to my dampened skin from the Jacuzzi. My hair flared around me like a lioness's main, full of volume and dark as a crow's feathers.

"I hate you, I hate the way you think, I hate how you're a total and utter **pig**! I hate how you demand things from me and everything you do, and quite frankly I'd rather not work for you. Anyone but you, but it **has** to be you, and **only because** otherwise my family is in danger. I loathe every fibre of you, and I assure you, you will regret the day you met me!" I pushed him a second time, but as if he'd expected this, he grabbed my arms a second before and the two of us fell onto the bed, leaving me to land on his chest.

My, was this ever awkward.

I got off him and ran, albeit in a wobbly fashion, to the bathroom the best I could under my current state, but he was right on my heels. I tried to close the door, however he managed to push it back open. He was wild like a beast, his eyes smouldering and hair flying about behind him as he moved.

I hated him, but that didn't stop him from looking good.

I moved back slowly until my heels touched the tub and I could feel that I was trapped. My heart was racing, half in fear and the other half in drunken anger, and I felt uncomfortable. To avoid his grip on my shoulders, I forced myself backwards and with a huge splash, I landed into the Jacuzzi.

Sesshoumaru looked down at me once I surfaced and coughed the water out of my throat. I realized that once again I was stuck, since the shirt was white and now officially soaked through.

God, did I ever hate this man, more than any person I'd ever met.

When Sesshoumaru pulled off his shirt, I immediately protested. "I don't want to see that!" I squealed as I covered my eyes, not daring to peek through.

I could tell by the sound of the zipper that his dress pants followed next, and I really panicked then. Was he going to try to be intimate with me? I was too damn pissed off to think about anything sexual—although perhaps later...

I shook my head furiously once I realized he was talking to me.

"Kagome," he said in the mysterious voice from earlier, "not all men are bad." He slipped into the tub with me a second later, and a moment afterwards I peeked from behind my fingers at him. Sesshoumaru stared at me, unabashed as he got comfortable.

He then proceeded to squirt the bottle of shower gel into the bath, which made the jets produce bubbles. The scent of flowers and fruits calmed me instantly, and before I knew it my hands were back under the water instead of over my chest. Unfortunately, my eyes had nothing to look at except him, so within a second my face tinged to a light pink in embarrassment. With the warmth of the water and him being a few feet away, I could feel the alcohol really kicking in, although just as easily it could`ve been just me in general... but I wasn`t going to tell the jackass that.

"Are you blushing?" he asked as he smirked at me.

I sighed and bared my teeth. "The temperature is just a little hot and I had a few drinks downstairs, which never fails colour my face. God, you're such a pig," I said as I moved as far from him as possible.

He rolled his eyes and moved closer, disregarding what I said earlier.

"You know, whenever I get close to you, your face goes red," Sesshoumaru said as he moved in my direction. My heart sped up from the adrenaline and I became nervous.

"I don't know what you're talking about! I told you, it`s the booze!" I said in a rushed voice, soon realizing how weak I sounded. I could only watch him as he moved, the water and bubbles lapping against his chest as he came after me.

Jeeze, although it was bad timing, I'd never noticed how nice his chest looked. Or his face, especially those golden eyes—what a gorgeous colour, especially on such a...

Wait a minute...

Without my noticing, he'd moved right in front of my face, his eyes just a few inches from mine. His eyes bored into me, as if they were reading my thoughts.

When his lips fell over mine, I went into a trance. When Sesshoumaru nibbled on my lower lip, I let him—I didn't have the urge to fight back. I felt so calm and relaxed, the feeling of panic from earlier had vanished.

Sesshoumaru, sensing the green light, put his right hand behind my head and pushed my lips further into his. He titled his head to one side as his tongue slipped into my mouth, which made me close my eyes as the soft muscle caressed mine with a feathery light sensation. I'd never felt something quite like it before, and I hated that I liked it.

When he let go a minute later and moved back a little, my eyes opened, a glaze having fallen over them. I couldn't quite believe what had happened, almost as if it never had, and for a second I questioned myself. Did I temporarily lose my mind and imagine that?

When I looked at Sesshoumaru, he wasn't grinning the cocky smile I'd assumed; instead, his lips were quirked into a genuine smile, and seeing it for the first time made my heart skip a beat. He was so attractive when he smiled and I silently wondered why he didn't do it more often.

I shook my head to get out of the thought and sniffled. "I still hate you," I said as I relaxed and closed my eyes. "You're in my way, fatass," I added as I attempted to get comfortable by kicking his thigh.

I heard him chuckle and then felt my body move as he adjusted himself so that my back was propped against his chest as the two of us lay in the bath. He was much more comfortable than the hard plastic on the other side, so I couldn't really complain.

"Don't try anything, hentai," I said as I closed my eyes again.

"I should be the one telling you that," he responded smartly as his arms wrapped around my stomach.

"I never did and I never will," I retorted sharply.

"Never say never; I can make you change your mind." Sesshoumaru's right hand then began to make its way up my shirt, which had become skin-tight with the weight of the water soaked into it.

"If you move any further I'll chop you-know-what off. Besides, you said seeing my body would make you go blind," I retorded with hints of annoyance.

The hand halted in its tracks, but that didn't stop him from his next comment. "Never said anything about touching," he said as he grinned devilishly.

_See? I told you he was the devil. Except this time, he`s practically naked. _

_On second thought, his boxers are probably Armani, too. _

_You know, about those boxers..._

_Kagome_, _stop, __**just stop**__ while you`re ahead._

XxXx

**Author`s Note**

Took me an awfully long time, but it came out! I'm going to class (university) all 'year round non-stop, but in about a week or two I should have approximately 1-2 weeks of free time that I'll be able to write. Let's see what I can knock out during that time!

Yay, longest chapter yet—over 2,500 words! So for all you people out there complaining about short chapters (even though they totally aren`t, for the record), stuff a sock in it (giggle).

I thought this chapter turned out pretty well, and we even got a little action going. Now, for those of you wondering, she still totally hates his guts and they haven`t hooked up yet... that was just a little bit of mutual fun.

Stay tuned for more laughs, embarrassing situations for poor Kagome and just overall good times in the next chapter and future ones to come!

Since I haven't heard from anyone in forever, I'd LOVE to hear from you guys, if any of you are still around.

See you in chapter 9!

Sincerely,  
DarkCrystalis  
AKA Emma, Angel, Anita... whatever you want to call me. Princess works fine, too, for the record (laugh).


	9. Chapter Nine

**Love At 25,000 Feet****  
By: DarkCrystalis**

Disclaimer: Standard disclaimer... I don't own any of the original Inuyasha characters.

XxXx

**Chapter Nine**

I actually fell asleep in the tub somehow, because I know for a fact that I don`t sleep-walk and I`m currently on the bed I claimed as mine, a good five feet from Sesshoumaru`s. Although you never know, anything's possible. Sesshoumaru might actually drive me crazy enough to make me run away from him, even in my sleep. Ever heard about the weird people that have extremely bad dreams at night called `night terrors`? These people, in some cases, even go and kill others while in their sleep and do other creepy things without even remembering a single bit of it. Sesshoumaru is my day terror—the thing that makes me want to kill while I`m conscious. Isn`t that awful? I most certainly think it is, but he finds it most entertaining.

Scarily, I noticed the change of clothes—a lack of them, actually. All I had on was a robe, which didn't make sense.

``If you tell me you put the robe on me yourself, I`ll skin you alive`` I threatened darkly as I gave him my version of the 'ultimate evil' glare (AN: see ch.7).

``Honestly, Rin put it on you. All I did was help you out of the Jacuzzi once I decided it was time for me to get out," he retorted without an ounce of emotion. Ahh, I see how it is—now he's back to being all hoity-toity.

"It's all about you, eh?" I said as I rolled my eyes. I decided that it was high time I worse some **real** clothes for a change, so I started going through the pieces Rin was able to give me.

"Oh god," I mumbled, realizing that none of them were suitable. "I'm going shopping **now**," I said as I grudgingly went to go put them on.

"Do you have any idea what time is it?" The devil asked in return, and I almost ignored him. However, I had a feeling that for once, he had something good to tell me.

I gave him a dull stare, telling him that he had a small amount of my attention. "It's already close to midnight, I'm sure something so trivial can wait until tomorrow."

Sometimes it killed be how logical he could be.

"I guess..." I said, defeated, and blushed as my stomach groaned. "I'm hungry!"

"Really? I never would've guessed. Either way, you have a credit card, you're more than welcome to order room service or go out and buy some food. Just don't be wasting your time with random perverts at the bar and you'll survive. I won't be there to help you next time, I have better things to do."

I growled in response, and pointed my index finger at him as I spoke. "**You're** the jerk that dragged me here when I didn't want to come! All of my expenses will be covered by **you**! In addition, you have to pay me hourly wages for even being here in the goddamn first place, because this is **not** my idea of a vacation!" I took a deep breath as I picked up the phone to order room service.

"Yes, I'd like the grilled chicken fettuccini alfredo with a side Caesar salad..." he heard me telling the person on the other line as he tried to look busy by reading a newspaper. "Oh yes, just **charge it to the room**," I added purposefully as I glared at him, noticing the tiniest twitch of annoyance in his right eyebrow. "Thank you so much!" I said cheerfully before hanging up.

Victoriously, I pranced over to him and yanked the newspaper out of his hands. He went to take it back, but I dangled it just out of reach. "Next time you want to pretend to read a newspaper, you should probably consider holding it upright, and not reading a section like 'which dress style best fits **your **body?' unless of course you're a transsexual and I somehow missed it in the Jacuzzi earlier. Nice boobies!" I ground out, not able to withhold my hysterical laugh.

Sesshoumaru's face was stoic as he moved toward the washroom. I sighed happily as she heard the door click, knowing he had locked it.

"Ahhh, peace and quiet at long last."

XxXx

Eventually, after my totally delicious (and wonderfully expensive) dinner, I got tired of waiting up for my loser of a boss and fell asleep in my robe, being conscious enough to stay buried beneath the sheets and comforter. I didn't want him to get not even a **peek** of my body, especially after what he'd said earlier. Pfft, I wasn't going to pay for jack shit on this god-awful trip, and I was going to keep my word.

In the morning, I snuck out early while he dozed, but not before diving into his wallet and 'borrowing' one of his credit cards. I made sure it was the black one without a limit on it and grinned; this was going to be **fun**!

I strolled down the hotel lobby, completely aware of the stares I got from the people around me. Some whispered behind their hand to their companions while others just kept staring, too awed to say a word. For the next couple minutes, I felt like Julia Roberts in Pretty Woman. These clothes, I hissed silently, I swore to use them later to wring Rin's neck. I zipped up my jacket, knowing this would make my case a tiny bit better. At least I'd removed my old make-up and put some new mascara and liner on, for heaven's sakes. I didn't look **that** bad.

I turned into the first clothing store I saw, and then immediately walked out. No, I wasn't going to be buying sexy lingerie for that terrible man, so I quickly made my way to another store. The next one was much better, but before even looking at any price tags I knew it'd be expensive if I bought anything here.

"Perfect," I said quietly out loud, a huge grin on my face. This top was so cute! It was a lovely green which would undoubtedly bring out my eyes, and the jeans the designer had paired it with went together beautifully. I pointed to the model and then waved to an employee to come by.

"Do you have these pants in a six, and the top in a small?" I asked as I gave her a friendly smile.

"Sure, no problem," she said as she warily looked at my clothes.

I gave her a reassuring grin. "My clothes were accidentally lost at the airport, and I had to borrow my niece's clothes, which clearly don't fit!" I lied smoothly, and the clerk instantly warmed up to me.

"Well then, let's fix you up!"

XxXx

By the time I left the store, I'd spent over five thousand dollars on a few tops, a couple pairs of jeans, two pairs of shoes and a handbag which was to **die **for. I wasn't much of a shopper, but when it wasn't my money, I was going to take all I could from the man who blackmailed me on a daily basis.

The next store I went to was totally different than all the others I'd passed by. Clearly it was meant for evening wear, since all of the models in the window wore satin, lace and silk gowns, matched with little clutches and high heeled shoes. I groaned at the thought of wearing clothes like that, but decided that if I had to follow the ice prince all around, something nice might come in handy.

The second I entered there was a woman who offered her assistance, and I gladly took it. She insisted that a black cocktail dress was absolutely essential to any woman's wardrobe, and that I would also need a slightly flashier dress for more upscale occasions.

I tried on one black dress and shook my head. "Nope, too granny-like," I said, rejecting it before she could add anything. The next one was too revealing, which was something I wanted to avoid, especially after the previous night. "Haha, I want to save these for my future boyfriend, not the whole world!" I said from behind the dressing room and tossed the dress over the door before the employee saw. It was clear that the third time was the charm, because the last dress was something I loved. It was like a slightly shiny cotton-satin mix, a strange sounding blend but it worked so nicely as the fabric hugged my curves. The sweetheart neck allowed for some cleavage, but it was tasteful. The length was perfect, short enough to be young and hip, but not too short to scream street girl.

"It isn't finished without a necklace," she added as she brought me a case lined with velvet. There were rows and rows of diamond necklaces, some chains, others diamond the whole way 'round. I knew that if I did get something, it would have to be long enough to dangle just above my chest. We settled on an emerald-diamond combo necklace, which the saleswoman promised would bring the look together.

I sighed, knowing that I still needed one more dress. She guided me toward one which hung on the wall, all by itself.

"This gown was the last one Laurier made before he passed," she said, sighing at its beauty. "It's such a tragedy the way he died! He was overworked to the bone, trying to get all his dresses ready for the Toronto Week fashion show. This was his last one, and the second he put the last thread in, he died, right on the spot!"

I quirked my eyebrow at the dress, not seeing what she meant. It was blue, layered and embroidered , but I really had no interest. "I don't think that's for me," I said as I tried to walk away.

"I think you should try it on—I think it was made for you!" She smiled and I caved. What was the big deal, anyway? It was just a damn dress, would only take all of a minute to try on.

I struggled from behind the door, but eventually managed to do it up. It was a corset-style closure in the front, which pushed up my breasts. It was almost renaissance in a way, but still modern. I stepped out of the dressing room and the lady gasped, frantically waving at the other employees to come and see. Soon enough, I was surrounded by women pacing around my form, commenting on how it fit like a glove.

I looked at the price tag, dangling delicately at my side, and held-in a gasp at my utter surprise. However, nothing could surprise me more than when I looked up and my enemy stared at me, his eyes boring holes into mine.

"Se-Sesshoumaru?!"

XxXx

**Author's Note**

Oh. My. God. YES, it has been a HELL of a long time, but you guys have NO CLUE what university is like (unless any of you are university students and attend full-time like I do, heh...). Even still, things have been craaazy busy.

I'm graduating this year (thank f*cking god), which is good for me, but also very BAD. I have such pressure on me to pass all my tests and classes, because if I don't, I'll have wasted about 500-2000$ (depending on which course I fail) and I'll also have to re-take another one, which means I won't graduate for at least another semester! This is too terrible to bare, so I MUST do a decent job in school. I'm sorry if that means almost no updating until the end of April, but if you guys have waited *this* long, I'm sure another couple months won't kill ya.

On a happy note, I'm going to cosplay for one of the anime conventions! I'll be going as Chi from Chobits and I'm very excited! It'll be my first time but I'm sure I'll have a blast!

Alright, if anyone is still alive and somehow managing to still be reading, please drop be a message! Any and all feedback is good, even if it's actually bad!

Hope to hear from you soon! 

Sincerely,  
-Darkcrystalis


End file.
